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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A fun expansion of Episode 1 with a lot of female characters who just love being friends. An enjoyable read even if the overarching reason for them to be here is a little thin.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Where [b:Queen's Shadow|40886114|Queen's Shadow (Star Wars)|E.K. Johnston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532125038l/40886114._SY75_.jpg|63718901] covered the end of Padme’s rule as Amidala and the start of her career in the Galactic Senate, its prequel Queen’s Peril covers the beginning of Amidala’s rule through the end of The Phantom Menace. That’s a lot of ground to cover and it gets a bit choppy at times as the author tries to introduce key characters without going into too much depth about them.
Learning more about how the Handmaids became who they were and the intricacies behind them was just as enjoyable as learning how functional Amdiala’s clothes actually were. I do wish that more time could have been spent building the relationships and skills between the girls, but given the constraints of it needing to match up with events in Phantom Menace it makes sense that the book is laid out the way it is.
If you haven't read Queen's Shadow yet, I recommend starting with this one! Not the strongest of the YA Star Wars books (that’s still [b:Lost Stars|25067046|Lost Stars (Star Wars)|Claudia Gray|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539015804l/25067046._SY75_.jpg|44751860], in my opinion), but enjoyable enough!
Learning more about how the Handmaids became who they were and the intricacies behind them was just as enjoyable as learning how functional Amdiala’s clothes actually were. I do wish that more time could have been spent building the relationships and skills between the girls, but given the constraints of it needing to match up with events in Phantom Menace it makes sense that the book is laid out the way it is.
If you haven't read Queen's Shadow yet, I recommend starting with this one! Not the strongest of the YA Star Wars books (that’s still [b:Lost Stars|25067046|Lost Stars (Star Wars)|Claudia Gray|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539015804l/25067046._SY75_.jpg|44751860], in my opinion), but enjoyable enough!
will have to revisit at some point but right now i just cannot get thru this rip
Liked this book far more than I expected. Would’ve been 4 stars but it felt a bit rushed at the end
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Queen's Peril is another intimate look at the relationships between Padmé and her handmaidens, this time starting at the very beginning as Captain Panaka recruits the young girls just as Amidala takes the throne of Naboo.
Like Queen's Shadow, this book prioritizes character over action. The first half of the book (maybe a bit more) reveals how Padmé and her handmaidens begin to function together, and highlights just how young all of them are. The interplay between the Queen's immediate circle and Panaka is highly amusing, and witnessing the beginnings of Amidala's lifelong altruism is stirring.
However, that focus on character growth becomes somewhat strained in the latter half of the book, as the narrative merges with that of The Phantom Menace. Rather than re-presenting scenes from the film from another point-of-view, the events of the movie are alluded to and speedily zipped through, while the book offers a parallel story about the handmaidens who stayed behind during the Trade Federation's invasion, and only glimpses into Padmé's own thoughts during that story. Part of me wishes that either the book were significantly longer, to explore The Phantom Menace much more thoroughly from Padmé's and her handmaidens' points-of-view, or that the novel had not caught up to the film at all.
Still, this was a minor shortcoming. As a fan of Queen's Shadow, and somebody who knows The Phantom Menace backwards, I found a lot to enjoy here. Johnston's Padmé duology is a vital niche in the Star Wars canon, offering new insights into characters many fans--myself included--never really thought twice about. The notion of different kinds of strength, and different ways to wield power, are explored in both obvious and subtle ways, and as a father to a young daughter, I am excited to continue seeing authentic Star Wars stories directly relatable to real-life young women. Queen's Peril, Queen's Shadow, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Rebel Rising, Most Wanted, A Crash of Fate, and more give me hope that new generations of young fans of all kinds will keep discovering a love of reading through Star Wars.
Like Queen's Shadow, this book prioritizes character over action. The first half of the book (maybe a bit more) reveals how Padmé and her handmaidens begin to function together, and highlights just how young all of them are. The interplay between the Queen's immediate circle and Panaka is highly amusing, and witnessing the beginnings of Amidala's lifelong altruism is stirring.
However, that focus on character growth becomes somewhat strained in the latter half of the book, as the narrative merges with that of The Phantom Menace. Rather than re-presenting scenes from the film from another point-of-view, the events of the movie are alluded to and speedily zipped through, while the book offers a parallel story about the handmaidens who stayed behind during the Trade Federation's invasion, and only glimpses into Padmé's own thoughts during that story. Part of me wishes that either the book were significantly longer, to explore The Phantom Menace much more thoroughly from Padmé's and her handmaidens' points-of-view, or that the novel had not caught up to the film at all.
Still, this was a minor shortcoming. As a fan of Queen's Shadow, and somebody who knows The Phantom Menace backwards, I found a lot to enjoy here. Johnston's Padmé duology is a vital niche in the Star Wars canon, offering new insights into characters many fans--myself included--never really thought twice about. The notion of different kinds of strength, and different ways to wield power, are explored in both obvious and subtle ways, and as a father to a young daughter, I am excited to continue seeing authentic Star Wars stories directly relatable to real-life young women. Queen's Peril, Queen's Shadow, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Rebel Rising, Most Wanted, A Crash of Fate, and more give me hope that new generations of young fans of all kinds will keep discovering a love of reading through Star Wars.
I liked this book, the story was light and easy to follow. It was so nice to see that plot was centered around woman and their relationships! I really liked all the handmaidens and how they and Padme navigated in the court and learned how to cooperate with each other. I think the book as a whole lacked a bit in general plot, it was partially retelling but it would be awesome if there was a separate story line. It read mostly like an introduction but still enjoyable.
I liked this one better than the first in the series – loooove the handmaiden lore, even if the writing is at times a bit cheesy. I don't know why these ladies have taken over my brain lately, but they have, and I'm not complaining! I do wish that the book went on longer (or brushed past the events of TPM more than it already did) – I was really interested in reading about Naboo's rebuilding and the rest of Amidala's reign after the invasion. Oh well! Glad I decided to give this one a try.